All 45 Portsmouth lions reunited at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard ahead of free event this weekend

Portsmouth’s pride of 45 lions are now finally all together, just in time for a special event to celebrate Portsmouth’s 100th anniversary of becoming a city.

All 45 sculptures have arrived at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard where they will feature in the free Our Naval City Festival on Saturday, October 3, organised by The Mary Rose Museum and Portsmouth Historic Quarter.

The event will feature a programme of talks led by the University of Portsmouth, family friendly activities, market stalls, charity stands and live music across the dockyard. The lion reunion will be one of the centrepieces of the event, giving visitors a chance to see all 45 lions together in one location after spending the summer spread across Portsmouth.

The unicorn sculpture which was also hidden in different parts of the city will also be there.

Visitors will also be able to continue collecting sculptures on the Pride of Portsmouth app during the event. However, the trail rewards programme ended when the trail closed on September 13, so no new rewards will be available to claim.

More than 11,000 people are known to have taken part in the free trail which began in July and ran until the beginning of September and was the centrepiece of Portsmouth100, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Portsmouth getting city status.

These celebrations will culminate in the Portsmouth100 finale in January, bringing the city's centenary programme to a close.

The Pride of Portsmouth story will continue beyond the trail, with many sculptures moving to permanent homes across the city and beyond, helping to create a lasting legacy for Portsmouth100.

Plans are also being developed for a future auction of selected sculptures, with proceeds proposed to support a legacy project focused on opportunities for young people in Portsmouth.

General entry to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is free, with additional charges to visit attractions such as HMS Warrior and the Mary Rose Museum. Further information about the lion reunion at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and the wider Our Naval City Festival will be available at portsmouthhq.org.